Best Friends Forever And Then Some
by Flaming Trails
Summary: Doc and Marty finally get around to meeting each other. Set in the beginning's 1982, Wimp George.
1. A Fateful Crash

Best Friends Forever, And Then Some

A Back To The Future Story

By Flaming Trails

Disclaimer: I don't own Back To The Future. If I did, there would be a special government office dedicated just to the fans. (I'm losing my touch)

Prologue: Just another one of those "How Doc met Marty" stories. Set in "Wimp 85" - before Marty fixed his past.

  


Chapter 1

Friday, October 1st, 1982

Hill Valley, California

12: 01 P. M.

"Hey, McFly!"

14-year-old Marty McFly looked up from his lunch. Approaching him was Hill Valley's High brand new "Eddie Haskel", Douglas J. Needles. He and Marty were both freshmen, trying to accustom themselves to the rules of high school. They had run into each other a few times over the years, but normally they ignored one another.

Evidently, today wasn't normal. Needles slid into the seat next to Marty. "How's it hanging, McFly?" he asked, showing off his horrible teeth.

"Okay, I guess," Marty shrugged. Needles had a tendency to make him uncomfortable. "What's up with you?"

"Nothin', really. Hey, McFly, I hear you're a great car-surfer." That was the local nickname for a dangerous form of skateboarding where you hitched a ride from passing cars. 

"It's easier than having to push yourself all the way. What about it?"

"Well, I was thinking - how about you and me have a contest sometime? See who can go the furthest on one tow. Whaddya say? You up for it?"

Marty looked skeptical. "I dunno. I'm used to switching cars - it could be really dangerous to stick with just one. And what if the police or our parents see us? Mom and Dad have no idea I car-surf, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"We won't get caught. And we'll tow with guys we know," Needles replied smoothly. "You worry too much, McFly."

Marty rolled his eyes. "And you get in trouble too much. No, thanks."

"Come on, McFly. It'll be fun. Unless you're - chicken."

Marty tensed up. He couldn't help himself. He detested being called 'chicken'. The word immediately reminded him of his father, George, a sniveling coward. That was one person he didn't want to be like, not in a million years.

He shot a glare in Needles's direction. The pre-teen was smiling expectantly, having learned from experience what effect the word 'chicken' had on Marty. "I'll do it," he said evenly. "But you'd better get somebody whose name I know to drive the car I'll surf."

Needles's grin got bigger. "Sure thing, McFly. I know just the guy. I'll see you outside at 2: 15, okay?"

"You got it." Needles got up and returned to his table. "Remember, McFly, 2: 15!"

One of Marty's friends at his table, Rick Nabers, looked at him. "Marty, are you really gonna do it?"

"He called me 'chicken'. Of course I'll do it. I won't be that hard. I'm an expert at it." He grinned at Rick. "Hell, I taught _you_ how to do it, so I _gotta_ be good."

"Yeah, I know, but it's _Needles_. He likes to win, and he fixes any contest he enters. He might have something planned for you, Marty."

"How? Seniors think freshmen are scum. He'll have a hard time trying to get them to go along with his schemes." Marty got up as the bell rang. "Anyways, you've gotta take risks in life. Otherwise, you'll end up just like my dad."

Rick nodded. He had heard Marty gripe about his family multiple times since they had become friends in middle school. They were certainly a family of losers. The father was a coward, the mother an alcoholic, the brother a total geek and the sister highly unattractive. "Still the biggest wimp on the block?" he sympathized.

"You ain't kidding. He just bought a load of Girl Scout cookies from some neighbor down the block. Dad hates the guy, but he still couldn't say no to him." Marty snorted. "So it's cookie dinners for the rest of the month, probably."

"Hey, that doesn't sound too raw a deal."

Marty thought about it a minute and shrugged. "I guess it doesn't, but I wish sometimes my mom would cook more. It gets old, eating whatever Dad buys. Or what Dave gets for free from his pals at Burger King. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up working there."

Rick shrugged too. "I'll see you after school, Marty. You'd better not do anything stupid. We've got practice tomorrow." Rick was referring to the new band he, Marty, and 2 other friends had formed. "And we gotta think up a name, too."

"I'll be fine, Rick. See ya later." Marty headed for Social Studies class. As he entered, he saw the teacher setting up a slide projector. He groaned. "Not another slide show!"

"Yes, another slide show, Mr. McFly," the teacher, a young man named Mr. Larmont, said. "It's good to see these shows. It lets you visually understand the other decades."

Marty just sighed and slid into his seat. He secretly readied his Walkman, hidden in a pocket of his backpack. Maybe, if things got too boring, he could listen to some tunes. 

Mr. Larmont took attendance and started the slide show. "Here we're looking at some cave art. Notice the natural pigmentation of the stone that adds to the crude color of the figures. When cave people first started to create art. . . ."

Marty settled back in the hard plastic chair and zoned out. Involuntarily his mind went back to the scene of his dad's latest wimp-out. What made it worse is that right before it had happened, Marty had asked his dad to say no. "_'What have you got to lose, Dad?'_

_'Marty, you have to understand, I'm not a fighter. It's easier to just say yes. This way you don't have to deal with angry people or anything like that.'_

_'Dad, it's not that hard! It's two letters. N-O. Just try it, Dad.'_

_'I don't know, Marty. . . .'_"

That's when the neighbor had knocked, and George had stayed true to form. "_Why is he like that?_" Marty wondered. "_You think a guy would be able to say no to someone he wishes would die. And every time I tell him about the stuff I want to do, he tries to talk me out of it. Just once, I'd like some encouragement from somebody other than the gang. Just once._"

Marty was still moping when he noticed he was alone in the room and the lights were back on. The bell must have rung while he was out of it. He gathered up his stuff and raced to his next class. "_Someday, I'm gonna have to get a watch with an alarm._"

After earning his 4th unexcused tardy (it had been pure luck none of them had come from the same teacher), Marty suffered through his science class. He thought science was okay, but he wasn't all that interested in hearing more about it. And it didn't help that he had a deathly boring teacher. Most everybody in science was in a coma by the first 2 minutes, and Marty was no exception.

Finally, at 2: 10, it was over. Marty woke from his trance and headed to his locker. Both Rick and Needles were waiting for him there, along with a senior. Marty recognized him as Fred Jacobson, Needles's girlfriend's brother. "Hey."

"Hey, McFly. You know Laurie's bro." Fred gave him a nod. "You said to get somebody you know for your car. Here he is. A friend of his has got me. We'll start from the parking lot and go from there. Whatcha think?"

"Sounds okay to me." Marty opened his locker, dumped his unnecessary books in and pulled out his Valterra skateboard. It had been a birthday gift from Dave and he was very happy to have it.

"Why don't you come along too, Nabers?" Needles asked. "Jacobson can scrounge up another guy in no time."

"No thanks. I gotta get home to practice-" he gave an exaggerated sigh and shudder "-the_piano_. Mom will kill me if I don't grow up to be a great concert pianist, I'm sure."

"Tough break. I guess it's just you and me, McFly. I'll meet you in the parking lot in 5." He and Fred sauntered off, chatting quietly about something. 

"Watch yourself, Marty," Rick warned. "Needles wants some respect from the older kids fast. With hair and teeth like that, he won't get it easy."

"I can watch my own back, Rick," Marty assured him. "See ya tomorrow. And good luck with that piano lesson." He left Rick mock-gagging about it.

Needles was already hanging onto his car when Marty arrived. "Hang on tight, McFly! This could be a wild ride!" he yelled over the drivers revving their engines.

"In Hill Valley? You wish!" Marty yelled back, dropping his skateboard. He hopped on and coasted up to Fred's dirty blue pickup, grabbing hold of the back. There was a final moment of engine revving, then both cars took off.

As they roamed the streets of Hill Valley, Marty felt his heart start to beat faster. He was used to car-surfing, but it seemed like Fred was trying to shake him off at every turn. It was much easier to do this when the person from who you bummed a ride didn't know you were there. Twice he contemplated letting go and forfeiting - he was a practical guy, after all, and being seen by so many people wasn't good. But every time he had considered it, he had caught sight of Needles smiling face. No. He was going to stick with it and prove he wasn't like his dad.

They turned a corner and left the Town Square, where they had been cruising for a moment. Now they were heading down flat stretch of road, toward the Burger King and an old gray garage.

Every kid in Hill Valley knew about that garage. According to most of the adults they knew, it housed a dangerous lunatic, a man by the name of Dr. Emmett Brown. The stories about him ran rampant - about how he had burnt his house down, how he lived alone like a hermit, how he seemed to enjoy exploding things. It was a pastime of middle-schoolers to drive him nuts with pranks. Marty had never done so - he had been too busy hanging out with his pals at the mall and practicing guitar - but he knew about Dr. Brown's reputation. Even going by his odd-looking 'home' gave him a bit of a shudder.

Fred abruptly speeded up, going over a slight bump very fast. It was to jolt the back of the truck open. Marty held on for dear life as the flap fell open.

Fred laughed and deliberately fishtailed. Marty was flung off, heading right toward the fence that surrounded Dr. Brown's property. As he flew through the air, he knew Rick had been right. Needles had been determined to win this, any way possible. Then his head hit the garbage cans lining the fence, and he knew no more.

Friday, October 1st

2: 31 P. M.

Dr. Emmett L. Brown, for his part, was outside, playing a game of fetch with his dog Einstein. They didn't have much room to play in - Doc's backyard was a small square patch 6 feet by 6 feet, with a tiny sapling gracing one corner. But it was enough to let owner throw a stick and dog to retrieve it.

As Doc prepared to throw the stick again for his eager dog to catch, he suddenly heard a terrific crash come from the front of his house. He sighed and gave the stick a weak toss. No doubt some hot-rodder had decided to destroy his garbage cans, just for kicks. Why couldn't people just leave him alone?

He walked through his little garage/house/lab to reach the front, Einstein padding faithfully at his heels. Sure enough, once he got out there, he saw 2 trucks peeling away, both drivers laughing. He considered taking down their license plate numbers, but decided against it. Through the years, he had learned that if something of his got destroyed, it was easier to just fix it himself. No one ever paid for the damage. He gripped the fence idly and surveyed the damage through it. 2 cans had been knocked over, and-

_And there was a pair of legs underneath them._

Startled and concerned, Doc opened the gate and rushed outside. He was hidden beneath the cans and garbage, but there was definitely someone under there. He stood up the cans and brushed away the garbage to find a teen boy, age around 14 or so. He was unconscious, with a angry red welt forming on the back of his head.

Doc knelt down over him. How had a kid become a projectile missile towards his trash cans? He decided to worry about that later and get the kid inside. After a careful check for broken bones and/or spine damage, he gently lifted the unconscious boy. He gave a slight moan, but didn't stir.

Einstein returned to Doc's side, proudly carrying a skateboard that had been rolling away from the scene. Doc smiled. "Good boy. Hopefully this kid will be grateful you retrieved that. Bring it inside, boy." He carried the unknown boy in, Einstein following.

Friday, October 1st

4: 26 P. M.

Marty came awake with a small jolt. The back of his head hurt like crazy. He moaned and turned over, lifting the lump off the pillow and a lukewarm compress. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was Fred Jacobson throwing him off his truck.

He opened his eyes a bit. The room he was in had dimmed lights and half-closed shades. In front of one of the shades was a figure. Marty thought it looked a little familiar. "Dad? Dad, is that you?"

The figure looked at him. Now that things were coming into clearer focus, he realized the figure was too tall to be George. "Sorry kid, but no," a friendly voice said.

As the figure approached, Marty tried to sit up. The figure pushed him back down. "No, don't sit up yet. You've been asleep for almost 2 hours, and I'm sure you've got a headache."

Marty felt a fresh cold compress being pressed to the back of his head. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. "What's the deal with the lights?"

"I didn't want to overstimulate your cornea when you achieved consciousness," the figure said. "I felt an overexposure to light rays upon first awakening would serve to aggravate your condition."

Marty blinked. What the. . . . It _sounded_ like English. . . .

The man seemed to notice Marty's confusion. "I felt seeing bright light the minute you woke up would worsen any painful symptoms," he clarified. "After all, it hurts when your eyes have to abruptly readjust."

"Oh." Marty wondered who his strange benefactor was. He was certainly one of a kind, Marty could tell. "_Where were we when Fred threw me off? We had just passed the Burger King. . .so that means. . . ._

_DR. BROWN'S HOUSE! I'M IN DR. BROWN'S HOUSE!_"

His hypothesis was confirmed when the man switched on a light. It was Dr. Brown, all right, with disheveled hair and wacky clothes all in place. Marty felt a thrill of terror go through him. No kid had ever been _inside_ Dr. Brown's house before. The most any of them saw was the outside. What was in this place? And what horrid fate awaited him?

Doc sighed as he saw the boy's face melt into a mask of terror. Yup - he recognized him all right. He knew exactly what the kid was thinking: that he was going to hurt him, or try some strange experiment on him just for fun. There went any chance of gratitude. "Yes, it's me. I still don't recommend getting out of bed just yet. You'll only hurt yourself."

Marty barely heard. "You're - you're-"

"Dr. Brown," Doc nodded sadly. "Local crazy inventor. I know all the rumors, so you don't have to repeat anything. What's your name, kid?"

"McFly. Marty McFly," Marty said, moving away from him.

"And how did you end up in my trash cans, Marty?"

"Some senior flung me off his truck. I'll pay for the damage. Honestly, I will."

Doc blinked. Well, that was new. "That's very kind of you, Marty, but I think the person who should pay is the one who threw you into the cans. What's his name?"

"Fred Jacobson," Marty said immediately, wanting to keep Dr. Brown's mind off him. He didn't want him to get mad. The guy was dangerous, after all.

"Fred Jacobson. . . . Yes, that kid who toilet-papered my house last Halloween. I doubt I'll get a payment from him." Doc sighed and got up. "Would you like anything before I call your parents? I'm sure they're worried about you."

Marty was getting confused. All the reports he'd heard of Dr. Brown had described him as a dangerous, raving lunatic. This guy seemed pretty sensible. Still, Marty kept on his guard. "I'm not really that hungry, Dr. Brown."

"Sure?" A nod. "Okay, what's your phone number?"

"555-3433." Doc walked over to the telephone on the table and dialed. Marty took the opportunity to lift himself up a little and look around. He was in a small area with a bed, wardrobe, a small table, and some other household amenities. Beyond it was masses of junk of and strange-looking things. Marty couldn't help but be interested in what they were. He was probably the first teen to see all this stuff. What was it all for?

Doc returned, trailing the phone. "No one's home."

Marty looked confused for a moment, then remembered. "Yeah, there was some sort of thing at the college, an open house or some shit like that. Damn, I was supposed to go to that with them. Dad won't care, but Mom most likely will give me some lecture."

"I think being unconscious is a pretty good excuse," Doc said, setting down the phone and walking over to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Some aspirin would be nice, though."

"I'll get you some." He disappeared into a room out of sight, then returned with 2 "Tylenol" and a glass of water. "I should have thought of having some handy. I hit my head pretty often, I'm sad to say."

Marty swallowed the pills and water in one gulp. He could never stand the pills' plastic taste. He glanced around the room again. "This is where you live, huh?" He knew it sounded dumb, but it was all he could think of to say.

"When I'm not working on inventions. This area is the main living area. The rest is my lab, and behind the door on the far side leads to the garage."

"This place is pretty small to live in."

"I can live with small. I'm barely ever in this area except to sleep or read."

"Didn't you used to have a mansion, though?"

"Yes, but that burned down long ago, as I'm sure you're aware. And even then, I lived mostly in here."

"Why would anybody like a garage over a mansion?" Marty asked, thinking those rumors could be justified.

"It serves my purposes. There's no wasted space. The property and other taxes are much less. And, frankly, my mansion made me a little uncomfortable. There was all that empty space, and no one to share it with. It wasn't so bad when I was a child, then I had my family, but when I grew up, it depressed me."

Marty realized he could understand how Dr. Brown felt. If he'd had to live in a big house all alone, it would probably creep him out to. His interest grew. "How did it burn down?" he blurted, before realizing that was none of his business.

Doc, too, was getting intrigued. He didn't often meet people who showed an interest him in him. "It's all right. I'm afraid I carelessly did an experiment in the house and left a Bunsen burner running. I woke up in the middle of the night to a rapidly spreading fire. I grabbed some of my most treasured belongings, got out, and called a fire squad. Unfortunately, the blaze became too fierce for them to combat."

"Oh. It's just 'cause some of the rumors-" Marty paused, not wanting to anger him.

"Say I burnt it down myself, I know," Doc sighed heavily. "Rest assured I would have never done that. Sold the house, probably. But never burn it to the ground." He checked the knot on the back of Marty's head. "The swelling seems to have gone down. Has the aspirin helped any?"

"Yeah, my head's not pounding anymore." Marty cocked his head to study Dr. Brown. His face, although 'old', seemed friendly. His eyes were especially so, an intense liquid chocolate filled with energy. Now that he examined him further, his messy head and wild clothes just seemed causal, not frightening. Like he had more important things on his mind than physical appearance. To his surprise, he felt himself warming toward the guy. "So - uh - whatcha do for a living?"

"I offer 24 hour scientific services to those who require my assistance." Marty gave him that 'speak English, damn you' look. "All right, what I _really_ do is run a mobile repair shop. But I'm open to do things more scientifically related."

"A _mobile_ repair shop?" Marty repeated, puzzled. 

"Out of my van," Doc clarified. "It's easier and more convenient than setting up a 'formal' shop here. I use this lab for my personal studies."

Suddenly, Einstein rolled in on the skateboard, barking happily. "Einstein! Get off that!" Doc said, running over.

Marty laughed. "Hey, I didn't know you had any pets! What kind of dog is he?"

"A mutt," Doc said, shooing Einstein off the skateboard. "Half bearded collie, half sheepdog. 1 ½ years old. He's the latest in a series."

"Can I pet him?"

Doc felt the beginning of a smile on his lips. This kid was genuinely interested in him! It felt good to find someone who was able to overcome their prejudices even a little. Marty seemed like a benevolent kid, practical yet willing to take risks. Somebody Doc would like to get to know better. "I don't see why not. Let him get a sniff of you first." He led his dog up to the prone teen. "Einy, this is Marty."

The dog sniffed Marty's hand, then let the teen pat him. "He's a nice dog, Dr. Brown."

"I like to think so." Doc ruffled Einstein's fur, then looked back up at Marty. "If you're feeling well enough, I'll take you home now."

Marty was about to nod 'sure' when he spotted something, tucked away near a cot. Slowly getting up, he went to investigate. "Hey, this is heavy-duty. What is it?"

"My breakfast maker," Doc explained, only too glad to show off his work. "At the appointed hour, it activates the radio and the TV, makes toast and coffee, and feeds Einstein. It's a very useful device."

"Cool. We could use one of those at my place." He marveled at Doc's gigantic collection of clocks. "What's with all the clocks?"

"I've always been fascinated by the passage of time," Doc said. "It's a hobby of mine to collect unusual clocks and watches." He held out his wrists to show Marty a pair of wristwatches. "I take great pride in that they are all practically in sync. It would be impossible to get them completely in sync, but I think I've got it close enough to perfection."

As if to confirm his statement, all the clocks went off at precisely the same time. Doc smiled at the cacophony of sounds. It was music to his ears. "Ah! All precisely on schedule!"

Marty held his head. How Doc Brown could smile at that sort of thing was beyond him. The sounds themselves were cool - an eclectic mix of cuckoos, bongs, chimes, and other more alien noises - but they were a little loud for his tastes. Maybe Dr. Brown _was_ a little insane, after all. He decided to take the scientist up on his offer. "It's a nice collection, but could I go home before I go deaf?"

Dr. Brown sighed. Maybe he had been a little quick to judgement about Marty not being afraid of him. Or maybe he was telling the truth and the sound _was_ hurting his ears. He wasn't used to it like he was, after all. "Of course." He led the teen into the garage. Two vehicles sat there - a freshly bought DeLorean and an old white step-van. Lettered on the side was:

DR. E. BROWN ENTERPRISES

24-hour Scientific Services

Doc hopped into the driver's side of the van. Marty glanced at the DeLorean as he got in the passenger's side. "Don't you want to take the DeLorean? That's a really cool car."

Doc also looked at the DeLorean. A strange smile creased his face. "Actually, that's an experimental car, Marty. See those bare spots? I'm scraping the paint off. I need to get down to the stainless steel."

Marty shrugged and settled himself into the seat, clutching his retrieved backpack and skateboard. Doc started up the van, then realized he had no idea where Marty lived. Marty sensed his question before he asked it. "9301 Jon Stewart Drive, Lyon Estates," he answered as Doc opened his mouth to ask.

Doc smiled sheepishly. "You a mind reader, kid?"

"Nah. You had to ask me _sometime_," Marty gently needled. For some reason, it was easy to drop his guard around Dr. Brown. It felt natural, right. Either Dr. Brown had an unknown gift with people or something was just clicking between them.

Doc was thinking along similar lines as they drove along. "It's strange, huh?" he said out loud to himself unknowingly.

"Huh?" Marty said, confused. "Are you talking to me, Dr. Brown?"

"What? Oh, no, sorry. I was thinking aloud." He looked at Marty. Marty looked back. For a moment, each considered telling the other how weirdly easy it was to talk to him. Then both decided against it. "_He's the town lunatic, McFly!_" "_He's one of those meddlesome teenagers._"

"_I can't be his friend. Why would I even want to?_"

They pulled up to the McFly house at the same time as the McFlys themselves. Lorraine got out of the car first, looking suspiciously at the van. "We don't want anything!" she yelled to Doc. "Go away!"

"Not even me?" Marty joked, opening his door.

Lorraine nearly had a heart attack. "MARTY! Honey, are you all right?! Get away from him, you nut!" She yanked Marty out of the van.

"What the hell are you doing now? Kidnaping kids for your weird experiments?" Dave demanded.

"Now, Dave," George said weakly. His child ignored him.

"Mom, Dr. Brown helped me out," Marty protested, trying to squirm away from her frantic checking.

"How on earth could a looney like him help you?" Lorraine snapped.

"Your son was rendered unconscious in a skateboarding accident and ended up in my trash," Doc attempted to explain. Marty was very grateful no one knew what _sort_ of accident it had been. "I cared for him until he regained consciousness."

"What's your definition of 'care'?" Lorraine demanded, holding Marty protectively. "To feed him strange potions when he can't fight back? Get out of my sight. Marty, never go near his house again."

"I wrecked his trash cans. I gotta pay for them."

"No you don't. He can pay for them himself!" She pulled Marty toward the house. Marty looked back at the van. He had never seen a more depressed on face than the one he saw on Dr. Brown. The scientist looked at him, shrugged, then drove off, his shoulders slumped in sadness.

Marty made a decision. It wasn't right for something to happen to a guy and for no one to help him out. He'd go back to Dr. Brown's house and pay for those garbage cans.


	2. You Want a Job?

Chapter 2

Saturday, October 2nd, 1982

Hill Valley

11: 05 A. M.

Doc studied his blueprints carefully, going over the numerous notes and asides. "Damn, why does stainless steel help the flux dispersal? It would be far less complicated if I could use any old car. Or not have to remove the paint from this new DeLorean. Who the hell _paints_ a DeLorean, anyway? Ah, well, if my prototype is successful, so what? My life-long dream will have been fulfilled." He folded up his blueprints and tucked them in a safe place. Then, resigned to his tedious job, he picked up his paint scraper and headed for the garage.

A knock at the door interrupted him. Puzzled, he turned around and went to answer it. "If you're selling something, I don't want it," he warned as he opened the door.

To his surprise, Marty McFly stood there, looking nervous. "Marty? What are you doing here? I thought your parents expressly forbade you to set foot on my premises."

Marty shrugged, then held out a $20 bill to him. "Part of my savings," he said. "It's a start for your garbage cans, anyway."

Doc felt his amazement grow. "Marty, you don't have to pay me. It wasn't your fault about my garbage."

"I want to, Dr. Brown. That jerk Fred's not gonna pay, and Mom and Dad definitely won't either, so-" He shrugged.

"Your parents don't know you're here." It was a statement, not a question.

"They don't give a shit where I go, most of the time." Marty's tone became sad. "I knew I could see you at least one more time." He pressed the money into Doc's hand. "I guess I'll see you around." He picked up his skateboard and turned to go.

"Marty!" The teen turned back. "How would you like a job around my place?" Even as he spoke, Doc wondered, "_Now what possessed me to say that?_"

Marty looked startled. It wasn't every day you got offered a job out of the blue. "A job? Doin' what?"

"Odd chores. Whatever I can find."

"How much?"

"$20 a week," Doc said temptingly.

"This isn't just an excuse to give me back my cash, is it?" Marty asked suspiciously.

Doc shook his head. "It's a real job, Marty. I often get so involved in my studies that I forget to do the simple things. It wouldn't be more than daily household chores - sweep the garage, mow the lawn, those sort of activities. Heck, I'll let you listen to my record collection too. Do you want it?"

Every normal kid instinct told him to get out of there now. He didn't need a job working for the man known as the local nutcase. He'd be ostracized for life! But something overrode all that. Something that told him Doc would have never offered him that job if he hadn't been desperate for human contact. Plus, 20 bucks a week was a damn good salary. "Sure. 20 bucks is great."

Doc smiled. "Wonderful. You can start right now, if you're so inclined. Unless you've already made plans?"

"Nah, I like to keep my Saturdays free. I don't think Mom or Dad will come around looking for me either. What do I have to do?"

Doc glanced inside. "You have a choice of jobs today. You can either do dishes or help me scrape paint off that damned DeLorean."

Neither sounded very appealing, but washing dishes didn't seem quite so tedious. "I'll do the dishes."

"I don't blame you." He led Marty into the house to a small sink. A pile of dishes was there, waiting patiently for someone to clean them. "That's the one major problem with this place," Doc frowned. "No proper kitchen. I'm glad this place is next to a Burger King." He pointed out the jukebox. "The records are right next to it. I'll leave you to it." He returned to the garage. Marty poked around for a moment, examining the various inventions and stuff, then made his way to the jukebox. He examined the records and was pleased to see a lot of his favorite musical talents included in the massive collection. He chose a song by one of the fathers of rock and roll, Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." Smiling, he put it on and sang along as he washed the dishes, occasionally lifting his hands to play air guitar. 

He finished the dishes by the time the song was over. Needing something to occupy his time, he went out to the garage to help Doc. The scientist glanced up as the teen came in. "Finished with the dishes already?"

"They'd been soaking for so long, all I had to do was wipe 'em off," Marty said. "That's a heavy-duty jukebox, Dr. Brown. And an awesome record collection."

"Thanks. Lou's Cafe sold it to me when they got a newer model."

"Lou's Cafe?"

"You'd know it better as the aerobics place. It used to be a diner. A lot of things around here have changed since my youth."

"I'll bet." Marty accepted the paint scraper from Doc and started chipping. "Who paints a DeLorean red?"

"The dealer said it made it look 'spiffy'," Doc grumbled, locating a second scraper for a windshield. "It was the only DeLorean on the lot, though. And I needed a stainless steel body."

"Why?"

"It's a secret project of mine. I'd prefer it to be so. After all, this invention could change the course of mankind's history. You're better off not knowing."

Marty got nervous. "It's not illegal, is it?"

"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't do anything illegal. It's just rather - delicate. I've spent many years researching it, and I don't want it jeopardized."

Marty supposed he could understand Doc's reluctance to talk. He'd only known him for 2 days. "What sort of science do you do?"

"Oh, all sorts. All sciences fascinate me. From chemistry to zoology. Granted, my forte is physics, but I believe in being well-rounded."

"I'm not so hot in science," Marty confessed. "A lot of it seems boring." Doc pretended Marty had mortally wounded him. "At least, the way my teacher teaches it. Everybody in that class is in a coma by the first 3 minutes. I've spotted some kids actually asleep. All he does is drone on and on about the properties on matter. It's only 1 month into the year and he already hates me for not understanding the homework. I can't stay awake _to_ understand it."

"Sounds like a few of my teachers," Doc sighed. "But I can assure you, science is _definitely_ not boring. It's involved in all our everyday lives."

"That's what all the teachers say, but why do I need to know all of it? Even the 'official' sciences seem dull. Geology is studying rocks. Rocks!"

"Rocks can be interesting. Have you ever heard of pumice stone?"

"It's some sort of lava rock."

"It's also so porous it can float."

"Get outa town! Rocks can't float! That's why they're rocks!"

"Almost anything can float if it's not too dense. Pumice is filled with air bubbles which leave pores all over it's surface. This lowers its density to the point where it can float."

"Well, that's kinda interesting. I still don't want to study rocks."

"Would quantum physics interest you?" Doc suggested with a grin.

"_What _physics?!"

"Quantum physics. It's the study of subatomic particles. It's fascinating, and comprises much of my research."

"Sounds like you'd need a brain the size of a planet to understand it."

"Well, I can give you some of the more interesting aspects of it. One of the first applications of it was to light. What is light?"

"Energy. Waves, I think."

"Yes, but certain experiments involving light proved that they would only work if light was made up of photons, tiny particles. Light has a dual nature; it can be either a wave or a photon. Later, a scientist named de Broglie proved that ordinary particles could have this duality. Electrons, for example, can behave as waves and particles."

Marty blinked. "But - but they're different! How could something be both?"

"It depends on how you're testing the particles. A man named Heisenburg demonstrated this with a hypothetical measuring of a particle. You're trying to find the position of the particle, and it's momentum. Now, depending on how you look at it, there is a large uncertainty in either the position or the momentum. If you're viewing light as a wave, the uncertainty is in the position, if you're viewing it as a photon, the uncertainty is in the momentum. No matter how accurate you try to be, there will always be uncertainty due to the 'changing' states of light. Basically, it's impossible to measure properly on the subatomic level. Sometimes the particles can appear to be in two places at once. And sometimes they seem to vanish completely."

Marty couldn't help but glance down at his chest. Doc smiled sheepishly. "But I'm being mean. I hire you to help me and I treat you to a science lesson. Did you even understand me?"

"Uh - I'm not sure. A lot of it went over my head, but I think I've got _something_ of an idea. You're a damn good idea teacher, that's sure. You should teach."

"I did. At the local college for 10 years, from 1956 to 1966."

"What happened?"

Doc sighed. "Early retirement. They asked me to leave. I was filling the student's heads with nonsense, they said. I don't know how, half didn't pay attention to me anyway."

Marty couldn't fathom anyone not being able to pay attention to Doc. "Their loss," he shrugged, continuing his paint scraping. "Those inventions I saw looked really cool. What do your friends think of them?"

The minute he said it, Marty regretted it. Doc blushed faintly and looked away. "I don't talk with people often. I'm not exactly welcome in the scientific community. And most of my family is dead or living far away. The closest is my sister Emily, and she's in L. A. And I doubt she'd be interested in my scientific rambles."

Marty found himself feeling bad for Dr. Brown. "Hey, you can babble to me if you want. I don't care."

Doc smiled. He couldn't believe it - he was actually bonding with this kid! "Well, I'm sure you're sick of hearing about me. What about you? What's your field of expertise?"

"Music," Marty grinned. "I wanna be the biggest thing to hit rock and roll since the _invention_ of rock and roll."

"That's quite an ambition there."

"I know. Me and my friends have got a band all formed and everything. We just need a name and a rockin' sound."

"Well Marty, I've always believed that, if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. If you really have faith in yourself, I'm sure you'll succeed. What instrument do you play? Or are you the lead vocals?"

"Guitar and vocals," Marty said proudly. "I've been practicing for a year on a guitar my buddy Spydo got me, and everyone says I really rock. We've been practicing all the great songs - Johnny B. Goode, Jailhouse Rock, The Heart of Rock and Roll, stuff like that."

"You sound like an audiophile," Doc said, impressed. "I'm a music-lover myself."

"Anybody with a collection like yours _has_ to be."

"Well, yes, but I play an instrument myself. The saxophone. And I have some remedial talent in piano and organ. I used to own both, but they perished in the fire."

"You play sax? Let's hear."

Doc hesitated a moment, then got up and retrieved an old, worn sax from his desk. He brought it to his lips and played the first few bars of "Night Train". Marty nodded in approval. "You're good, Dr. Brown. The sound's a little muddy, though."

"Wear and tear. I've had this since the 50s. Too bad you didn't bring your guitar. We could have played together."

"I know." Marty suddenly snapped his fingers. "Jesus, that reminds me! I've got practice with the guys at 4. I gotta ship out before then."

"How far is it to where you're practicing?"

"Hell, I don't know. It's Spydo's place, 1717 Letchmark Ave."

"Hmm, near the college, that's roughly 4.2 miles from here. And you've got to stop at home to pick up your guitar, I'm sure. Normally it would take you 30 minutes to get there, but seeing as you have to make some stops and skateboard there - unless you want a ride?"

"That's your call, Doc. I'm just worried Spydo's gonna freak out worse than my mom did."

Doc frowned. "I know. It would take you - 50 minutes to get there on your own, assuming you practice that dangerous car-surfing, which I'm sure you do. If I drove you there, 40 minutes."

Marty was amazed. "You figured all that out in your head?"

"I'm a scientist. I have to be good at calculations like that. I'm sure you have a similar ability."

"No way! I only do 'okay' in math."

"I'm not just referring to math. What about your music?"

Marty glowed. "Hey, yeah! You know, every so often I'll wake up in the middle of the night or look up during my homework and find I've got a song idea, or a melody in my head."

"See? We all have our special talents." Doc checked his wrist watches. "It's 11: 47 and 20 seconds. Do you want to grab some lunch from the Burger King?"

"Sure!"

Saturday, October 2nd

4: 00 P. M.

Marty skated up to Spydo's house, precisely on time. He was grinning from ear to ear. He and Doc Brown had spent a very pleasurable couple of hours together. They had chatted quite a bit, from science - Doc enthralling Marty by describing a few of his theories - to music - engaging in a debate over the true father of rock, Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley. The pair had soon discovered that, despite their differences, they seemed to have a lot in common. Marty had decided that, in spite of all the rumors, nobody that fun to be around could be crazy. He was eagerly looking forward to his next day on the job.

Spydo was already at the drums when Marty walked into his garage. "Hey, SnacPac," Spydo teased. If there was one thing the drummer loved, it was goofy nicknames. "You're actually on time today."

"I know. Unbelievable, huh?" Marty gave his guitar a test strum and made a minor tuning adjustment.

Rick looked up from his own guitar. "I heard Needles got Fred Jacobson to throw you off his truck. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Dr. Brown was really nice to me."

There was a loud discordant note as J. J. nearly fell on his keyboard from shock. The other band members looked similarly stunned. "Dr. Brown?" Rick demanded. "The guy who burned his house down? The one everybody says is wacko?!"

"He's not wacko! He's pretty cool. He gave me a job."

"You didn't take it, didja Marty?" asked Spydo, eyes wide. 

"For 20 bucks a week? Course I took it! He's got a really b*tchin' record collection too. Hell, we both like Huey Lewis and the News! And he did the impossible and got me interested in a science lecture. He's cool."

Rick gawked. "But Marty, everybody says he lost it years ago. What the hell are your parents gonna think?"

"Who cares? I _like_ Dr. Brown."

"Marty, are you sure he didn't do something to you when you were out of it?" J. J. asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Marty snapped, getting a little ticked off. "Look, I've met the guy. He's not crazy. Eccentric, sure, technical, hell yeah, but not crazy." He strummed a chord. "Are we gonna practice or what?" 

They played for a couple of hours, Spydo's mom giving them a snack of milk and cookies halfway through. The guys warned Marty to be careful around Doc Brown, but also asked what his house was like. None had ever been inside, and they were all curious. Marty told them about all the neat inventions and Einstein, and he saw them getting more interested. "You guys wanna meet him? He plays sax, maybe he could be part of the band," he joked.

Rick shook his head. "I still don't know, Marty. You go first and make sure he's safe. Once you give us the all clear, maybe we'll say hi or something."

Well, that was progress. Marty agreed, then after a final song, left for home. His mother was waiting for him when he got home. Marty could see she'd been drinking. "Dr. Brown called. He made up some ridiculous story about having hired you. That man has an obsessive personality. Stay far away from him."

Marty opened his mouth to reply when a new voice cut him off. "I want 'em by Thursday, McFly. The CEO wants to see these forms, and I don't want them screwed up."

Marty groaned. Biff Tannen had come over to bully George into doing work for him. It was like this every week. Why couldn't Tannen disappear off the face of the earth? "When did _he_ get here, Ma?"

"An hour ago. No smart remarks this time. He _is _your father's supervisor."

With a heavy heart, Marty walked into his house. Biff was assigning George his homework for the week, forcing a stack of forms into his hands. George made a weak protest, then just accepted the load. Dave and Linda, his sister, were too busy watching TV to notice or care. Lorraine had followed Marty in and was pouring herself a glass of vodka. Marty snorted, disgusted. "_Yup - just another typical evening at the McFlys._"

The phone rang, and Marty, being nearest, got it. "Hello?"

"Marty? Is that you?"

"Oh, hey, Dr. Brown. Yeah, it's me."

Doc breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I didn't particularly want another tongue-lashing from your mother."

Marty glanced over at Lorraine, draining her glass. He felt a pang. "I think she's had a little too much to drink. My dad's supervisor is over, and he gives everybody a hard time."

"Oh. Well, I called to offer you something."

"Yeah? What?"

"You mentioned you weren't too adept in science. I'd be willing to help you with your homework if you ever need it."

"For free? I'd feel guilty if you didn't get something out of the deal."

"I get someone to talk to who shares some of my interests. It's depressing, trying to hold a conversation with your dog." There was a bark of protest from Einstein, making Marty smile. "Even if said dog is extremely intelligent," Doc added. "Well, Marty?"

George butted in before he could answer. "Who's on the phone, son?"

"Dr. Brown," Marty admitted. "He gave me a job."

Lorraine was shocked, to say the least. "_What_?! You're actually working for him?!? That's just horrible, isn't it George?"

"It's certainly risky," George sniveled. "You could be ostracized for life, Marty. You should stick with your regular friends."

Biff giggled, having listened. "Figures a McFly would go work for that crazy old coot."

Marty was getting pissed. "You don't even _know_ the guy! He's willing to give me $20 a week and free homework help just for doing odd chores and talking to him. He's not a lunatic, he's just really lonely!"

Doc heard the outburst on his side of the line. This kid had known him for 2 days, and was _defending_ him! The scientist smiled. It was fascinating, how fast some people could bond. If he had believed in fate, he would have said they were fated to be friends.

Marty returned to his phone call, leaving 3 very startled adults. "Sorry, Dr. Brown. It's a deal."

"Okay. Just one more thing. You don't have to call me Dr. Brown. It's so damn formal. My first name's Emmett."

"I can't really see me calling you Emmett," Marty admitted. "How about Doc instead?"

Doc. . . . It sounded right. Doc nodded in approval. "Fine with me. I'll see you tomorrow, Marty." 

"Okay, Doc." Marty hung up and went upstairs before anyone could yell at him. At Doc's house, Doc returned his paint scraping, whistling happily. What had started out as an unfortunate accident was turning into a beautiful friendship.


	3. That First Hug

Chapter 3

Wednesday, October 13th, 1982

Hill Valley

3: 32 P. M.

As the days went by, Marty and Doc started to form a real relationship. Doc regularly helped Marty with his homework, giving the kid a fresh start in science class. Marty helped Doc with his inventions, handing him tools and occasionally helping him wire things together and other mechanical work. One of their favorite activities were to jam together on guitar and sax, playing along to "Night Train" and "Johnny B. Goode". But, mostly, they just talked and shared each other's company. Doc was rapidly becoming the confident father figure Marty had never had, and Marty was just as rapidly becoming the son Doc had always wanted. The time passed quickly and pleasantly.

This day, however, was chosen to be memorable to the pair. Marty came in later than usual, looking depressed. Doc immediately sensed Marty's mood and looked up from the electronics work he was doing. "Marty?" he asked in concern.

Marty didn't even give him a glance. He had had an extremely rough day. His mother was being rather cool towards him because of his job at Doc's. As a result, when he was late this morning and rushing out the door, she had allowed him to leave without breakfast. Even though it gave him extra time to get to school, the teen missed the gesture.

He had arrived at school late as usual. His first-period teacher, a man after Strickland's heart, had given him a severe tongue-lashing _in front of the entire class!_ Then, for the next class, it turned out he had done the wrong homework. The teacher gave him a dirty look. Science was boring as usual, but lunch was a disaster. Nobody except the band wouldn't sit anywhere_ near_ him. It was like he was contaminated by Doc's invisible presence. Then, during 5th period, he had needed to go to the bathroom, but he couldn't find the one on the first floor. He had stopped to ask Mr. Strickland for directions, but he had managed to accidentally catch him drinking in his office. A very upset Strickland had given him detention and a very long lecture. And in detention, there had been all sorts of whispering and teasing about his new friendship with Doc. Basically, it had been one of those days you wish had stayed in bed.

Doc frowned. "Marty? What's wrong?"

Marty glanced at him. "Nothing's wrong," he said, looking at his sneakers. He didn't want to tell Doc about getting teased for being his friend.

"Something is," Doc pressed. "I've never seen you this sad."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Doc got up from his wiring and went over to where Marty was sitting on the bed. "Sure? I'd be willing to listen."

Marty just moved away from him. The depressed look on his face made Doc want to cheer him up. But he couldn't do that without knowing all the facts. He sat down next to the teen, causing Marty to shoot him an annoyed look. He just wanted to be left alone. Why wouldn't Doc do that? "Look, I said I don't want to talk about it!"

Doc had no idea why he did what he did next. It just seemed the natural thing to do for a hurting kid.

He pulled Marty into a hug.

He felt the teen stiffen in his embrace. "_Damn, I shouldn't have done that. I know Marty's personality structure. He's not exactly the type to appreciate a hug, what with a slightly 'macho' side. Maybe for him, a hug from another man would be an invitation to _slug _said other man. I should cut my losses._" Embarrassed, he started to pull away.

Without warning, Marty reciprocated, pulling Doc very close. His face buried itself in Doc's chest. Doc wasn't sure how to react for a moment. Then he felt the fabric of his shirt grow damp. Automatically he started rubbing Marty's back, letting the teen get it out of his system.

As he finished his brief crying jag, Marty blushed. When Doc had first swept him into the hug, he'd had no idea what to do. None of his other friends had ever hugged him. It was rare for him to get a hug even from his dad. For a moment, he had considered pushing Doc gently away. Then all the events of the day had completely caught up to him, and being in Doc's arms had seemed like the perfect place to be. He had no idea where the waterworks had come from, though. He glanced up at Doc, wondering about the older man's reaction.

The scientist gave him a friendly pat on the back. "It's okay. I've had days like these. Are you willing to talk about it now?"

Marty gave in and spilled. Doc frowned as he listened. "I certainly don't want to be responsible for your mother and your friends ignoring you." He sighed noisily. "It seems everything I get close to get's contaminated by my unique form of bad luck."

"I don't mind about the other kids, Doc," Marty assured his friend. "The band stuck with me. It's their loss. You're a really great guy."

"I appreciate that, but your own mother. . . ."

"She'll start talking to me again. It's not the first time she's gone kinda cold toward one of us. A lot of time she'll go cool if one of us complains about her drinking. On a bad day, she can get drunk pretty fast."

"What about your father? Doesn't he say anything? He hasn't stopped talking to you too?"

Marty snorted. "_My_ dad? He hates to argue with _anybody_. People walk all over him all the time. His supervisor, Biff Tannen, is the worst. He's a no-talent jackass who makes Dad do all his work."

"I remember Biff from his teenage years," Doc nodded. "Was he that obnoxious voice I heard the day I generated your employment towards me?"

"That's the guy, Doc. He said only a McFly would want to work for you." Marty sighed. "They're my family, Doc, but they drive me nuts!"

"I can understand. I had family troubles myself." Doc patted him on the shoulder. "Listen, Marty, if you ever need to talk to someone, I'll always be there for you."

Marty smiled at him. "Thanks Doc. You wanna play some tunes?"

Wednesday, October 13th

6: 35 P. M.

Doc glanced at his wrist watches. "It's getting late, kid. You'd better get home before your mother serves dinner."

Marty nodded and picked up his skateboard. He looked over at Doc. "Hey, Doc, do you want to come over?"

Doc didn't quite understand. "Do you want me to drive you? I will if you want a ride."

Marty shook his head. "For dinner, Doc. I can't do anything about the kids, and I don't care about them that much. But I want my family to get to know you at least."

Doc got a little nervous. "Marty, are you sure that's such a good idea? Your parents and siblings seem set in their conviction I'm a dangerous lunatic."

"Hey, if you want Mom to start talking to me again, this is the best way to do it." Marty grinned at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, Doc. Just say the right stuff and they'll get to like you. I did, right?"

Doc smiled crookedly back. "You might be the exception that proves the rule, Marty. But you're right. I'm the cause of your family troubles, I should do everything in my power to mitigate them." He got up and made his way over to his van. Marty followed him in and together they drove to Marty's home, Marty giving Doc a few general instructions.

They arrived at 7: 00. Doc took a deep calming breath. "Okay. Let's get this over with."

"Doc, you're making it sound like you're on death row," Marty complained.

"I may not seem to care what other people think of me, Marty, but being rejected hurts me like any normal person."

"It'll be okay, Doc. Just don't go off on any scientific stuff." He opened the door. "Mom, Dad, I brought a friend home for dinner."

Lorraine came out of the kitchen. She frowned when she saw Doc. "You brought him for dinner?" she said disapprovingly.

"I wanted you to get to know him," Marty shrugged.

Doc smiled. "Good evening, Mrs. McFly. How are you?"

"I'm all right," Lorraine said, figuring it would cost her nothing to be polite. "How are you, Dr. Brown?"

"I'm well."

Linda and Dave walked in, Linda with her hair in curlers, Dave in the same shirt he'd worn for 3 days. They both did a double take upon seeing Doc. "Why is _he_ here, Mom?" Linda whined.

"Your brother invited him for dinner," Lorraine explained. "Which is almost ready, so come to the table." She walked towards the back of the house. "George! Come in here and eat!"

George emerged from the back rooms, carrying a stack of forms he was filling out. Without looking up he took his seat at the foot of the table and continued filling out the forms. Dave and Linda dropped into a pair of seats, still looking suspiciously at Doc. Marty pulled up a chair for Doc and sat down next to him. Doc sat down, hoping this hadn't been a mistake.

Lorraine emerged from the back with plates of limp spaghetti. She handed them out and got a bowl of store-bought sauce, some mixed vegetables, and some boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. Doc wisely kept his mouth shut about the meal and started eating.

Midway through, George looked up and noticed Doc. "Oh, hello, Dr. Brown. I didn't see you come in."

"Marty invited me for dinner. Is that something for work?"

George nodded. "My supervisor wants them for his meeting with a client Friday. He's too busy to do them himself." 

Doc seriously doubted that, but decided not to get into that. He looked at Lorraine, who was devouring her spaghetti with gusto. "Mrs. McFly?"

Lorraine looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I would like to say something. I-"

Doc paused. What _did _he want to say? He didn't want to imply that George and Lorraine were bad parents. He knew they were doing the best they could. And he didn't want to worsen relationships between anyone. He just wanted to say that he didn't want Lorraine to be so cold to Marty. But how could he say that? "Never mind. It wouldn't come out right."

"_What_ wouldn't? If you're going to say something, say it?"

"Marty told me about your attitude ever since he started working for me." Marty nudged him, but Doc pressed on. "It's okay, Marty. I never meant to strain family relationships." "_I sound pathetic. Simply pathetic_."

Lorraine seemed confused. "I don't understand, Dr. Brown."

"Quite simply, I don't really care what people think about me, but I do care what they think about my friends. I don't want you to stop speaking to your son just because of me." He blushed. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Lorraine's expression softened. "You really care about Marty, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. He's a wonderful assistant and a very good friend." Doc patted Marty in a friendly way. "I'm sure your other children are just as agreeable."

The ice was broken. The rest of the family started to warm to Doc a bit. They talked a little about general subjects, and Doc showed himself to be pretty normal in all his responses. By the end of dinner, the McFlys had decided Doc was okay. "Come back again sometime," Lorraine said, shaking Doc's hand as he prepared to leave, her attitude towards him much improved.

"I will. Thank you for a wonderful dinner."

Marty grinned at him. "See, Doc? I knew once they got to know you, they'd like you. I'll see ya tomorrow, Doc."

"Goodbye." Doc went back to his van with a smile. It was funny how things worked out sometimes.


	4. I've Met A Girl

Chapter 4

Thursday, October 14th, 1982

Hill Valley

11: 13 A. M.

Marty sighed as he entered the cafeteria. There came those looks again, the same looks he had seen Doc get on occasion. "_Hell, let 'em look. I've got _real_ friends. I don't need them._" Pulling out his money, he headed for the lunch line.

Only to promptly collide with someone leaving it. They were both knocked over, food and money flying everywhere. Marty, extremely embarrassed, got up to help the other party. "Hey, I'm really sorry," he said, offering his hand.

"No, it's my fault," the other party, a girl, said. "I was so intent on my lunch that - I. . . ."

She slowly stopped. Marty stared at her, jaw slightly open. The kid he had knocked down was a beautiful teenage girl, with fluffy dark brown hair and gorgeous brown eyes. Even with pudding splattered all over her face, Marty thought she was wonderful.

Apparently the mystery girl thought the same, the way she was staring back at him. Her eyes were filled with warmth and happiness. "What's - what's your name?" she asked, looking a little flustered.

It took Marty a moment to remember it. "Marty," he finally chose. "Marty McFly. You?"

"Jennifer," she said after a moment. "Jennifer Parker." She blushed shyly. "I'm usually not this clumsy. I'm sorry for-"

"No, it's okay, I should have been lookin' where I was going." Marty gathered up his cash and her napkin. He gently wiped the pudding off her face and helped her up. "I think I've got enough for 2 lunches."

Jennifer smiled, and Marty's heart melted. "I hope so."

It was. They got 2 small lunches and sat at a table together. For a while, as they ate, they were content to gaze at each other adoringly. Then they started talking. It turned out Jennifer was a big history buff, liked Huey Lewis, and loved Marty's favorite movie, "An American Werewolf in London". They were reluctant to leave each other at the bell, but made plans to meet at the Burger King near Doc's house. After school they met up and skateboarded over, continuing their conversation from before. They were ecstatic they had managed to bump into each other, literally. Anyone watching them could tell it was love at first sight.

Jennifer sipped her soda, smiling at Marty. "I've never met a boy quite like you, Marty. Someone who likes Huey Lewis as much as I do and can make me laugh with no effort at all."

"Well, I've never met a girl quite like you, Jennifer," Marty said happily. "It's like it was fate that we would smack right into each other."

"Certainly a cute, movie-like meeting," Jennifer giggled.

Marty could feel his heart melting all over again. Jennifer could be the only girl for him. "Makes sense. You're cute. In fact, Jennifer, you're the sweetest, most wonderful girl I've ever met."

"And you're the kindest, most adorable boy I've ever met, Marty." She drew her straw up and down in the plastic lid. "I was wondering - do you want to get together with me sometime? Like tomorrow night for a movie or something?"

Marty lit up. She was asking him for a date! "Sure! Great! I'd love to!"

Jennifer smiled in her adorable way. "I was hoping you'd say that." She glanced at her watch. "Oh, wow, it's 3: 30! Time just flies when we're together. I've got to get home!" She got up hurriedly and stuck out her hand for Marty shake. "It was great meeting you, Marty."

Marty shook her hand. "It was great meeting you too, Jennifer."

Suddenly, on a whim, he leaned forward and kissed Jennifer on the cheek. Jennifer blushed with pleasure and returned it. Then she ran down the street and started for the Town Square on her skateboard. Humming happily, Marty went next door to Doc's.

Doc looked up as Marty floated in the door. "Well, this is an improvement from yesterday!" he said with a grin. "What happened to put you in such a salutary mood?"

"I met a girl," Marty sighed. "Jennifer Parker. An angel. A goddess."

Doc's smile grew. "That's certainly good news. Is that why you're late? I thought you might have more detention."

Marty shook his head, sitting down lightly. "She's fantastic, Doc. She likes skateboarding, Huey Lewis, horror movies, and she's got the best smile. . . ." He gazed dreamily into space for a moment, then turned back to Doc. "We've got a date for tomorrow night. We're going to the movies."

"Which movie?"

Marty frowned. "Shit, I forgot to ask her." 

Doc chuckled. "_Ah, young love. It's nice to see him so happy after yesterday._" "You could always just both show up at the movie theater and decide from there."

"Nah, I'll give her a call. I'll have to look her up in the phone book. Can't let my mom know, though."

"Why not?"

Marty grimaced. "Mom doesn't like any girls I like. She thinks all girls today are sluts and boozers. To hear her tell it, every girl I know is sex-mad and is gonna end up in jail or something. It gets worse when she starts moralizing about her own girlhood. She says that she was a pure maiden, and stayed chaste until marriage."

"Well, there's some sense in that statement."

"Doc, my mom's definition of 'chaste' is standing on the same carpet!"

Doc had to laugh at that. "Okay, that is a little too far. If you need to, you can call her from my phone." He went back to the work he was doing. Marty described their lunch and snack at the Burger King to Doc, spacing out briefly whenever he mentioned something about his girl. Doc could tell he was already deeply in love, and from the description of their meeting, Jennifer was too. He felt a faint pang of jealousy that he put down sternly. "_I should be happy for Marty. Not envying his luck in getting a girlfriend. You're too old to be acting so juvenile._" He returned his attention to his teen friend. "Sounds like you 2 were meant for each other."

"I know. I've liked other girls before, but none of them were like Jennifer." Marty looked at Doc, suddenly curious. "You ever feel this way about a girl?"

Doc considered the question. "I don't think so. I fell in love a few times, but my love was never reciprocated. The girls that 'loved' me were more interested in my money. And the rest simply ignored me. So, the answer is no. I never loved like that because no one else loved me like that."

This was the first Marty had heard of Doc's childhood, and it depressed him a little. He got up and gave Doc a friendly pat. "It's not too late, Doc. Maybe you'll find someone now."

Doc seriously doubted that, but he appreciated Marty's effort to cheer him. He smiled at Marty, dismissing the memories that had come up when he had discussed his childhood. "I'm okay, kid. I'm really married to my work. And I'm glad you've found love."

Marty sighed again as his thoughts came back to Jennifer. "Boy, I can hardly wait until tomorrow night. Maybe I'll pick a scary movie so we can snuggle. I bet she's a great snuggler." He shook his head. "I gotta call her, Doc. Where's-"

Doc already had the phone book ready for him, open to the correct page. Marty looked at Doc strangely, then relaxed into a grin. Doc grinned back and pointed out a row of names. "There's 3 Parkers in here, so you'll have to guess who she lives with."

"I'll find her." Marty took the phone book and started dialing. The first number was wrong, but the 2nd yielded Jennifer's father, Robert. He was very polite, mentioning he was very happy Jennifer had found someone she could get his excited about. Marty gave Doc a thumbs-up as Jennifer got on the line. "Hello, Jennifer?"

"Marty! Hi. What's new?"

"It's about our date tomorrow, Jen."

Jennifer's voice fell. "You don't have to cancel, do you?"

"No, no! I wouldn't dream of cancelling! It's just that you wanted to go to the movies, right?"

"Sure."

"Which movie?"

There was a moment of silence. "I don't know," she finally laughed. "I automatically chose someplace for us to go. Are there any movies even playing?"

"I don't know. Hey, do-"

He blinked at the paper suddenly in his hand, then rolled his eyes at Doc. "Stop reading my mind!" he mouthed at Doc, playing innocent, then returned his attention to Jennifer. "There's Watch The Skies out, andA Boy's Life, and they're still playing E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."

"Oh, I've been meaning to see E.T. again," Jennifer said. "What are the times?"

"Yeah, I liked it too. It's at - 3: 30, 6:10, and 8: 45."

Jennifer briefly checked with her father. "The 3: 30 show," she decided. "My Grandma's coming over tomorrow, and I want to be around to say 'hi'. That okay with you?"

"Fine, perfect. I'll meet you after school, we can go to the Burger King, then catch the movie."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll see you tomorrow then, Marty." She sounded like she wanted to speed up time.

"That won't be soon enough for me," Marty said, sounding the same. "I'll see you tomorrow."

They lingered on the phone, listening to each other breathe, until Jennifer's dad made her get off. Marty hung up, that dopey smile back on his face. "Man, that girl is great. Even her breath sounds sexy. Thanks for letting me make the call, Doc."

Doc gave Marty a pat. "My pleasure, kid. She certainly sounds like a terrific girl. Here, I need some help with this part, and you need to figure out how to tell your mother about her."

Monday, October 17th, 1982

Hill Valley

6: 35 P. M.

Doc waved to Marty as the teen skated away, his smile covering up a very sad mood. As his new friend car-surfed out of sight, he fell into a chair, thinking hard. Marty and Jennifer had really hit it off the last few days, spending as much time as possible together. Doc understood that and was very happy for Marty. But he knew that, eventually, their new relationship would hit a very important speed bump.

Him.

Einstein padded up and begged for a head-scratching. Doc scratched his ears absently, still deep in thought. "_He already had a brief falling-out with his own _mother_ about me. And the kids at school regard him as dangerous for being around me. What's to say Jennifer's reaction would be a deviation from the norm? Will she refuse to be Marty's girlfriend when she finds out he works for me? Marty will be devastated, he really loves her._"

He sighed, debated getting up, and decided to stay sitting. "_You may as well admit the truth to yourself, Emmett. You think of that kid as a son. The family you always wanted and never had. You don't want his romance to end up like yours did. You want him to be happy, and not have to suffer the label of 'outcast'. I'm used to it by now, but I don't want Marty to get used to it._"

He got up, went to his window, and looked out at his small yard. The grass needed cutting, he idly noted. "_Damn, and we've become such good friends. We truly care about each other. I've never had someone care for me like that, especially after so short a time. I would do anything for that kid._" He sighed again. "You know what you have to do, Emmett," he said aloud. For Marty to be happy with Jennifer, he could only do one thing.

He had to make Marty stop being his friend.


	5. Bathtime and Birthdays

Chapter 5

Tuesday, October 18th, 1982

Hill Valley

2: 20 P. M.

Marty skateboarded up to Doc's door. Life was good for him. He had a steady job, a new girlfriend, and a friend who could take over for George McFly anytime. Smiling at the thought of a date later with Jennifer, he knocked on the door. "Yo, Doc? I'm here."

Doc opened the door. Instantly Marty knew something was wrong. Doc's face was hard toward him for some reason. But his eyes were sad, lacking their usual spark. "Doc? Something wrong?"

Doc forced himself to be gruff. "Nothing's wrong. And if I want an opinion from an employee, I'll ask for it."

"Jesus, you woke up on the wrong side of the bed today," Marty noted. "What happen, your-"

Doc cut him off in that same hard voice. "What did I just say?" Not waiting for an answer, he pointed to the yard. "There's a lawn out there that needs mowing. Get going."

Marty, completely baffled, nodded and headed for the backyard. "_What's with Doc today? He's not acting like himself at all. And why are his eyes so sad? Just yesterday he was really happy. What happened?_"

He found the lawnmower and some lemonade in the yard. Doc was in the garage again, testing something on his secret project. Marty started pushing, then stopped, wondering if he should ask Doc what was wrong again. "Doc?"

Doc didn't turn around from his test. "What, McFly?"

"What did I do?" Marty suddenly blurted, thinking some careless remark or action by him could have sparked this coldness.

Doc blinked, thrown by the question. He hadn't considered the possibility Marty would think himself at fault. He had been trying to suggest a Jekyll/Hyde transformation to the teen. "Why do you think you did something? Besides, I'm not paying you to talk."

Marty shut up and kept pushing. "_Why is this happening?? He's usually such a great guy. . . . Or at least, he was until yesterday, when I told him about Jennifer and me becoming a couple. . . ._

"_Hey, Jennifer! Maybe that's it! It - no, it can't be. Why would Doc be _jealous_ of her? A), he was really happy for me before, and B), he's a guy! I'm really gonna have to introduce - them. . . . Oh._"

Marty abruptly realized what Doc was trying to do. He shook his head, a slight smile on his lips. "_Just like my parents, wanting the best for me. . . . But what a weird way to do it! Whatever, that's why I like him. He's more interesting than other adults._" He stopped mowing again. "Hey, Doc."

"I'm not paying you to talk," Doc repeated.

"Drop the act. Jennifer will love you."

Doc spun around, surprised. "How-?"

"You're pretty predictable. You act like my Dad so much, and you're eccentric - why wouldn't you do this?" Marty's smile faded. "Why the hell would you want to give me up just 'cause I met someone?"

Doc sighed. "I'm the local nutcase. I didn't think that Jennifer would want to date someone who was friends with me. It's happened before."

"Doc, we're pals. Hell, like family. I like being your friend. I gotta tell you, that's kinda weird when the friend's an adult, but you're great." Marty's eyes met Doc's. "Heck, I think I'd call you my _best_ friend."

"Not a lot of people think I'm great," Doc shrugged, feeling a little depressed. "And from what you've told me a few days ago, my reputation's starting to rub off on you."

"Screw the other people. I've got things to do and people to be with. And you and Jennifer top the list." Marty frowned a little. "Damn it, Doc, you're not my dad. You don't have to do this sort of thing."

It came out before Doc could stop it. "But the way thing's are going, you're going to end up with my childhood!"

Marty blinked. "Your childhood?" he repeated, eyes widening. "Jesus Christ, Doc, how long has this shit been going on for?"

Doc shrugged, looking away. "My peers never saw me as an equal. I was smarter and richer than all of them. As a result, I was classified as the 'outcast', the 'weirdo'. My classmates all despised me. Before adolescence, I was an easy target for bullies. When I started dating, most girls wouldn't even look at me. And those that did were only interested in my money, like I said before." His eyes flicked towards Marty. "I suppose I'm unfairly projecting myself on you. I don't want you to break up with a girl you really love just because we're friends."

This was the first Marty had heard of Doc's childhood, and, frankly, it made him sad. He went over to the scientist and gave him a pat on the back. "Doc, I'd say we're best buddies. We might just need each other, no matter how stupid it sounds. No matter what happens, I'm not gonna stop being your pal. I'll have Jennifer meet you tomorrow. I'll bet she thinks you're great."

"And what if she doesn't? What's your contingency plan?"

"I'll just keep you and her in separate parts of my life. Either way we're still pals."

Doc snorted, not really believing that. "Marty. . . ."

Marty went back to the lawnmower. "I'm not gonna fight you about it, Doc. Stop being so stubborn. Everything will work out."

Doc turned away without answering, going back to his work. He could only hope that Marty was right about Jennifer. "_Please. . . . I don't want to lose my best friend._"

Unbeknownst to him, Marty was thinking the exact same thing.

Wednesday, October 19th, 1982

Hill Valley

2: 13 P. M.

Jennifer met Marty on the steps of Hill Valley High as school ended. "Hey, Marty," she said, kissing him in greeting. She frowned when she saw his nervous expression. "You look a little blue. What's the matter?"

Marty maneuvered her down the steps and sat her on an empty bike bar. "You gotta meet somebody today, Jen," he told her. "Somebody close to me."

"Your mom?" Jennifer guessed, sighing. She had already heard the stories about Lorraine. "Marty, she'll get-"

"Not my mom. Doc Brown."

Jennifer stopped dead, eyes wide. "Dr. Brown?" she repeated. "_The_ Dr. Brown?"

"Yeah. And before you say anything Jen, just let me talk, okay?" Jennifer nodded, puzzled. "None of those stupid rumors about Doc are true. Doc's not crazy or evil or anything like that. He's just a normal guy who knows a lot about science. He hired me for a job and helps me with my homework. We get along great; we're friends. And I don't want to dump him as a pal. He doesn't have many friends, Jenny. If you don't like him, fine. You never have to see him again. But I don't want to stop being his friend." Marty took a breath. "Well, Jennifer?"

Jennifer looked at him, then slowly smiled. "I have to admire that kind of loyalty. C'mon, let's meet the Doctor. He sounds interesting, to say the least."

Marty smiled in relief. "Jennifer, you're the best. Let's go." They hopped on their skateboards and headed for his house.

Doc was in the yard, attempting to catch Einstein for his bath, as had been for the last hour. "Einstein! Come here! Bad dog!" He tried to tackle his wayward mutt, but got a mouthful of grass instead. Einstein eluded him again and dashed into the house, barking wildly.

Marty came inside just as Einstein flew in. The dog managed to knock Marty to the ground. Jennifer, still in the doorway, couldn't help but giggle. "He's certainly glad to see you."

Doc stumbled in, covered in dirt and grass. "Damn it, that dog sometimes. . . . Aha! There you are!" Einstein tried to run out the door, but Doc managed to grab the squirming mass of fur. "Bath time," he told the whimpering mutt firmly. "Marty, are - you. . . ."

Doc's voice died when he saw Jennifer by the door, her hand over her mouth. He blushed a little, extremely embarrassed. "_What a way to make a first impression. . . ._" He cleared his throat. "Jennifer, I presume?" he asked politely.

A snickering Jennifer nodded. "I'm sorry for laughing, Dr. Brown, but just the way all of it happened. . . ." She dissolved into helpless giggles. Marty started chuckling too, and eventually even Doc had to laugh. Finally, as they all wound down, Jennifer asked, "Is it like this every day over here?"

"Only on bath days," Doc said, holding Einy tightly. "I've never understood it. He _loves_ to play in water. But add soap and he bolts." He glanced down at himself. "To tell the truth, whenever he needs a bath, I always end up needing one too."

"Want any help with him, Doc?" Marty offered, getting up. "I don't have any homework, the gym teacher was sick and we got a study hall."

"Same here," Jennifer said. "I'd love to help out."

"If you'd like," Doc said, looking at Jennifer nervously. "You'd better let Einstein get a sniff of you first, Miss Parker."

"Jennifer's okay, Dr. Brown." She let Einy sniff her hand. Einstein whiffed her, and promptly sneezed. "Oh! Must be my perfume."

"I'll get you a paper towel," Marty volunteered, heading for the sink. Doc, his blush and embarrassment deepening, apologized profusely. "I'm very sorry, Jennifer, he's usually not a sneezer. . . ."

Jennifer waved off his apologies with a smile. "It's okay. He's a nice dog. I'm sure it was just my perfume." She accepted the paper towel from Marty and wiped off her hand. "Whatcha say to us helping?"

"If you'd like to help, come outside. The tub's set up out there, and you're bound to get dirty." He carried Einstein outside, the teens eagerly following. "Surround the tub. He'll try to jump out."

The teens got into position. Doc got the wriggling dog into the water. Einstein tried to get out, but found himself blocked on all sides. Whimpering, he slumped down in the water, splashing everyone. Doc picked up the soap and a scrubber and started to scrub him down. Marty and Jennifer helped out any way they could, from helping Doc scrub to fetching towels. Einstein did all _he_ could to get them throughly soaked. In between it all, Jennifer actually got to know the scientist, and he got to know her in turn.

Finally, they were done. Einstein jumped out of the soapy water, shook off, let the humans rub him down, and headed straight for the yard. Doc sighed and shook his head. "Hopeless. Simply hopeless."

Jennifer smiled and used her towel to make an almost futile attempt at drying. "I don't think I've ever enjoyed an afternoon more," she admitted. Doc relaxed, relieved. "You're a really great guy, Dr. Brown. I mean, you've got so much energy." She looked at him curiously as they emptied out the tub onto the lawn. "This is probably really rude, but how old _are_ you?"

"It's all right with me. I'm 60, soon to be 61."

"60? Doc, you don't seem a day over 50, at most," Marty playfully protested. More seriously, he added, "Soon to be 61, huh? When's your birthday?"

Doc hesitated a moment, then figured, "_What the heck._" "The 22nd."

"The 22nd? _This _22nd, Doc?! Holy shit, your birthday's only 3 days away! How come you never told me?"

"Are you planning to do anything special?" Jennifer asked, sitting on the overturned tub.

"No, and that's the reason I kept quiet about it, Marty. It's just another day like any other. The only difference is that you complete the 1-year aging cycle. Nothing to get excited about. So I treat it like any other day."

Jennifer frowned. "But it's a _birthday_. Don't you do anything?"

"Besides my normal routine, perhaps treating myself to some cake or something, no. It isn't important, Jennifer. Not like a national holiday or something."

Jennifer was about to protest the point further, but Marty abruptly said, "Well, I guess that's all there is to it. It's your life." He secretly winked and grinned at Jennifer. The girl nodded and followed Marty's lead in changing the subject.

Marty had a plan.


	6. Best Friends

Chapter 6

Wednesday, October 19th

5: 30 P. M.

Marty and Jennifer skated together down Jennifer's driveway. As Jennifer kicked up her board, she looked at Marty. "Okay, spill. I know you've got an idea. What is it?"

Marty grinned. "You like Doc, right?" he asked, putting his arm around her.

"I think he's great. It's easy to see how you two became such good friends." 

"Great, 'cause I'm gonna need your help."

"Get on with it already," Jennifer pushed, giving him a light shove in the shoulder.

"I was thinking. Why don't we surprise Doc with a birthday party? Despite everything he said, I'd bet he'd like one."

Jennifer's eyes lit up. "Hey, that's a terrific idea! I'd love to help!" Then she frowned. "But what could we do? And who could we invite to it? Certainly not my dad, he'd flip."

"Not my parents either,' Marty sighed. "They're okay with him by now, but they still think he's kinda touched. And the Pinheads are still leery. I guess it'll just have to be you and me and a cake."

"And presents," Jennifer added. "What does Doc like for gifts?"

"Anything to do with time, so a new watch or clock should be right up his alley. Didn't you see his collection?"

"Oh, did I ever," Jennifer giggled. Then she grew serious again. "What about you? I don't want to get him both the same gift."

"I'm getting him a new sax. He's a really good player, but his old one's all muddy-sounding. Can you cook?" Jennifer shook her head. "Neither can I. We'll have to buy a cake and decorations."

"We can pool our money to get stuff like that," Jennifer suggested. "What about Doc himself? We gotta get him out of the house while we set up."

"I'll think of something, don't worry." Marty kissed Jennifer as she headed up the stairs of her house. "See you tomorrow, Jen. Let's make this a birthday none of us will forget."

Friday, October 22nd, 1982

Hill Valley

3: 14 P. M.

Doc pulled back up to the house, his van carting a lonely bag of chips and soda. "Another year older," he sighed, getting out and retrieving it. "And nobody cares but me."

He looked around the garage. Marty wasn't waiting for him there as promised. "_Must be inside_," Doc figured, heading for the door. "_Damn, I would have sworn Marty would have at least wished me a 'happy birthday'. I suppose I misled him a bit with all my talk about not caring about it. I _do_ care, but it's hopeless to want things you can't have. Still, a greeting along those lines would have been nice. But instead he asks me to go get 'some proper snacks for this place'. Teenagers. Sometimes I think they're a different species. Well, I got his soda and chips, and was able to pick up some things I needed too. Marty had better appreciate this._"

"SURPRISE! Gotcha, Doc!"

Doc's eyes bugged out of his head. Marty and Jennifer had found one of his collapsible tables in storage and had set it up. They were currently behind it, grinning broadly. On the table itself was a chocolate cake, a few cards, and 2 presents, appropriately wrapped. His house now sported paper streamers in orange and black and some balloons in similar colors. Completely stunned, Doc let the bag fall from his arms, and stared speechless at the scene.

"You like it?" Marty asked as Jennifer grabbed the bag. "It ain't much, but it was all we could get in 3 days."

"Sorry about the orange and black streamers, but all they had at the party shop we went to was Halloween stuff," Jennifer said, pouring the chips Doc had fetched into a bowl. "We got our parents and Marty got his band to sign cards."

"And we got you, in a stroke of genius, to buy your own refreshments," Marty chuckled. "I'll pay you back later."

Doc finally found his voice. "You - you did all this - for me?"

"All this? Doc, it's some streamers, balloons, and some cards! Nothing special. But I couldn't let a pal's birthday go by unnoticed."

Doc stared for a moment more, still in shock. "_They did this all for me. I don't believe it._" Before he could stop them, a few tears had trickled down his cheeks.

Marty and Jennifer looked at each other, bewildered. Was Doc going to cry? "Doc?" Marty asked, concerned. "We didn't upset you somehow, right? It's - it's a party."

Doc smiled and gave them both hugs. "No, you don't understand. This is the first birthday party I've had since I was in my 20s! Thank you."

Marty and Jennifer hugged back hard. "Only the best for you, Doc. I wish we'd done something more special, though, now."

"This is special enough, I assure you both. Thank you so much. It's so nice to know I have some real friends."

Marty grinned at Doc and stuck out his hand. "Best friends forever, Doc?"

Doc shook it joyfully. "And then some, kid. And then some."

The End


End file.
